Downtown Napa Just Got a Makeover

This spring, a section of downtown Napa will reopen after a major transformation. Dubbed First Street Napa and located on a three-block stretch of — you guessed it — First Street, the $200 million development has been over five years in the making.

What were once landmark businesses in Napa’s Town Center, like Merrill’s Drugstore and McCaulou’s department store, both long since closed with some buildings left in disrepair, have been replaced with 325,000 square feet of new construction, restored historic buildings, and major renovations that house boutiques, wine bars and upscale restaurants.

There are several parts to the project, opened in stages since the fall. At the center of the project is the Archer Hotel Napa, a five-story affair with more than 180 guest rooms, which opened in late November. Retail shops and bistros, including a fashion boutique and cosmetics store, are scheduled to spring up from now through April.

“We wanted to create an experiential shopping, eating and staying district, a gathering of different types of destinations for people who live here and for those who visit,” says Todd Zapolski, managing member of Zapolski Real Estate, which owns the property with Trademark Property Company. “That hasn’t been available in Napa in one significant place until now.”

The project endured major setbacks, including the October wildfire that raged through Napa, the August 2014 earthquake that damaged the foundations of buildings across the county, and heavy rains last winter and spring that delayed construction.

“We’re opening later than we hoped, but we’re patient and trying to build this in a way that’ll be a lasting success and benefit to the general area,” says Zapolski.

Here’s a glimpse at what’s coming soon and what’s already arrived at First Street Napa.